


you're my getaway tonight

by Super_Danvers



Category: Snowpiercer (TV 2020)
Genre: F/F, Lesbians, Post 2x01, Sapphic, alex cavill, alexandra cavill - Freeform, lilah folger jr, married melaudrey, melanie x miss audrey, melaudrey, ruth wardell - Freeform, snowpiercer - Freeform, snowpiercer spoilers, wilford - Freeform, wlw
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-03-14 03:35:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,468
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28913961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Super_Danvers/pseuds/Super_Danvers
Summary: Melanie is allowed to return to Snowpiercer
Relationships: Miss Audrey/Melanie Cavill
Comments: 1
Kudos: 20





	you're my getaway tonight

“Why don’t you try and have fun, Melanie? Lord knows you need some.”

Melanie cringed as she picked up the dress that Wilford had left on her bed. Although it was something that she would actually wear, she hated it because he had chosen it. He leaned in the door frame to her room, filling it as if he were much bigger than he really was. Melanie glared at him.

“Why am I doing this?” She questioned. “I mean, why are you letting me do this?”

Wilford regarded her with an amused sneer. “I know you think I’m some kind of monster, Melanie, but you’ll find over these seven years I’m actually quite the generous type.” He ignored Melanie’s scoff. “You’ve been cooped up in Alice for too long: a party will do you good. Besides, I thought you might want to see some old friends back on the other train. Considering we’ve conquered Snowpiercer as ours, there won’t be any risk of losing you back there. You can see Audrey again, or perhaps have a chat with Ruth. I know you’re fond of them.”

Melanie couldn’t figure him out. There was something in his eyes that implied something different, something sinister, but she couldn’t quite place it. All she knew was that going back to Snowpiercer was a bad idea. A party was much more so. Wilford frowned at her silence. 

“Don’t you miss your friends?” 

Melanie considered that. She didn’t really have friends on Snowpiercer, only people who looked at her with resentment whenever she breathed in their direction. About two or three people on Snowpiercer cared about if she lived or died, in her opinion, and that was pushing it. The mention of Audrey hurt. Melanie had barely thought about Audrey since she’d arrived on Big Alice and whenever she did, it was just to assume she was dead and to do something good in her memory. She’d never bothered to actually check. 

“Are they alive?”

“Yes.”

“Are they alright?” 

Wilford chuckled and adjusted his position in the door by folding his arms. “Apart from a few minor injuries from their silly little uprising, I’m told they’re fine.” He glanced Melanie up and down. “I’m sure you’ll want to change out of that ugly thing.”

Melanie looked down at her boring, blue boiler suit. It wasn’t the ugliest thing she’d ever worn but it still wasn’t the most practical either. She didn’t care that much: her job had nothing to do with looking pretty. Not that she could call being a prisoner a job. 

Wilford huffed. “For Christ’s sake, it’s just a party, Melanie. Not everything has an ulterior motive.”

Melanie knew that was a lie but evidently, she had no choice in the matter. She picked up the dress and folded it over her arm. Wilford smiled. 

“Good. I’ll have Kevin escort you after you’ve changed. Just let him know when you’re ready.” He turned to leave.

“Am I expected to walk in with you?” Melanie questioned firmly. “Is that why we’re going?  So you can make an example of me?”

Wilford kept walking. “If that’s what you wish to think, sure.” He called and left Melanie to herself. 

She looked down at the dress, pondering whether to put it on or rip it to shreds. It was such a nice dress, but she despised it because of him. How dare he still know her taste after all this time. How dare he still be able to have a hold on her, even she was easily his superior. How  _ fucking _ dare he. Emerald green slip with a slit up the leg. Melanie held it up again, and sighed. Audrey would love it. Audrey would wear it much better than she ever could.  _ Audrey _ .

+

Despite everything, the Night Car hadn’t lost a bit of its charm. In fact, it seemed even more so than it was before. Its bloody battle and alcohol-soaked rebellion was a thing of the past as it was replaced by hundreds of people all dancing together. The floor was full, as were the balconies and the booths and the VIP boxes. The entire train was in this carriage. Audrey’s solemn music had been replaced with some upbeat pop song and Fight Night had been lost to the jumping dance floor below. 

When Melanie appeared on the top balcony floor, nobody noticed her. From this height, she could see Wilford on the other side of the carriage, surrounded by women fawning over him as if he were the last man on Earth. Bennett sat at the bar, leaning drunkenly on Javi’s shoulder. Javi seemed to be there for more of Ben’s sake and keeping him out of trouble. Ruth, dressed in somewhat glamorous attire, remained at the sides to keep an eye on the whole party. Every so often, she glanced at Wilford disapprovingly. Melanie imagined this wasn’t the Wilford she had been expecting. 

When Wilford caught Melanie’s eye, she moved from the balcony. She couldn’t stand being in his eye. The stairway to the party floor seemed to be occupied by the younger passengers, most of them hanging out on the railings. As Melanie descended, she spotted Alex stood to one side with LJ. They seemed to be in an interesting conversation as both of them had their arms folded and serious expressions cast out over the dancing crowd. LJ was beaming as she talked and wore that scheming look that Melanie remembered from the trial. 

Alex started when Melanie touched her shoulder. “Hey, what are you-”

“Don’t speak with her, Alex.” Melanie warned her. “She’s nothing but trouble.” 

Alex glared. She shrugged the hand off. “You can’t tell me what to do, Melanie. You’re hardly my mother.”

LJ sniggered at Melanie’s reserved yet hurt expression. “You tell her.” Her eyes moved to Melanie. “Good to see you. Shame you’re alive, but good to see you. You don’t look half bad for a dead woman.”

Melanie rolled her eyes and carried on. She could feel Alex watching her through the back of her head but she ignored it. If Alex wanted her, she knew where she was. 

She didn’t enter the dancing crowd right away and instead drifted over to Ruth at the side-lines. The blonde’s mouth fell open when she saw her. 

“Melanie!” 

Although she remembered what Ruth had done to her, Melanie smiled politely. “Hello, Ruth.”

Ruth, astounded, stared at Melanie’s dress in awe. “You look...amazing. Oh, it’s so good to see you again, Melanie. I was starting to think you were...well...you know.”

“I’m not dead.”

“No. Yeah, of course you’re not.” Ruth reached forward and grabbed her in a hug, squeezing her tightly. “I’m just so glad you’re alright.”

Melanie pried her off gently. “More or less.” She fell into line beside her and looked around the crowd. “Have you seen Audrey?”

Ruth glanced up at her former boss, and followed her gaze to the dance. She pointed. “There.”

It was no wonder Melanie didn’t see her right away. In the very thick of the crowd, weaving in and out of other passengers was someone Melanie barely recognised. Audrey was dressed in a white t-shirt, black jeans with a bright red bra and suspenders. Her jet-black hair was out of its curls and had been swept back behind her ear like a lion’s mane. She didn’t look like Audrey at all. The song was pumping louder than ever now, and it seemed as if Audrey were drowning in it. Oblivious to the people around her, Audrey danced like her life depended on it, with her eyes shut and her arms to the air. 

Melanie glared at Ruth. “What happened to her?” 

“Wilford cancelled her shows. Wouldn’t let her perform. She hasn’t been the same without it.” Ruth explained. “She traded all her good clothes to Mr Wilford’s women so she could help some of the others-”

“Why’d you let her?” Melanie snapped. “Look at her, she isn’t coping.”

“With all due respect, Melanie, I’m not her  carer .” Ruth shot back. “You know Audrey. Once she’s decided to help someone, there’s no stopping her. Besides, it didn’t help that you were gone and we didn’t know if you were dead or alive. Bennett comes in one day and says he hasn’t been able to contact you for a week: what do you expect her to think? That you’ve joined Wilford and are living the high life or you’re dead in the snow? Either way, you were gone and she didn’t have you anymore. Reminds me of another girl you’ve done that to.”

Melanie wanted to answer, but she knew Ruth was right. It was her decision to end up on Big Alice and it was her decision to leave Snowpiercer in the first place. She hadn’t said when she would be back, or even said goodbye. Although it wasn’t Melanie’s fault that she couldn’t have gotten back to the train, she knew it was wrong to not tell Audrey. 

She swallowed her anger, counted to three, and then entered the crowd. She didn’t have to shove too much; most people were dancing in groups so they weren’t in her way. The closer she got to Audrey, the louder the music got. Melanie only turned half an ear to its lyrics, but from what she heard, they were pretty fitting:

_ ‘I don’t see no red lights, just a wild ride. You’re my getaway, you’re my getaway.’ _

Audrey didn’t notice Melanie, even when she was stood right in front of her. Her eyes were still closed, shutting the rest of the world out of her sight. Being this close to her, Melanie could see how much pain she was in. Her eyeliner was smudged and dirtied her face, and her hair hadn’t been brushed or washed in days. Yet, she still moved energetically, as if she’d downed twenty cups of coffee and was running on pure steam. When Melanie’s hands caught her wrists, she pulled them away violently. 

“Get off me!” She snarled; her eyes still shut. “I told you before, I’m not going with you. I’m a married woman!” 

Melanie grabbed her wrists again and squeezed them. She shouted over the noise of the music. “Well, it’s a good thing you’re married to me then, isn’t it?” 

Audrey’s eyes snapped open. They were bloodshot and adjusted to the raving lights as if they hadn’t opened in weeks. They focused and realised and a sob louder than the music came out of Audrey’s mouth. Every part of her crumpled like a piece of paper and she almost couldn’t stand. Her arms fell limp in Melanie’s grip and when her fingers grazed her wrists, she let out another pained cry. Her knees buckled and Melanie caught her before she fell, hurriedly leading her away from the crowd. Nobody but Ruth or Alex seemed to notice. 

\+ 

Thankfully, Audrey’s dressing room seemed to be the only thing that hadn’t been taken from her. It was stripped bare: everything but her bed was gone. The wardrobes had been ripped up from the floor and all the costumes had disappeared. Audrey’s mirror lay on the floor in the alcove, smashed. Her armchair had been ripped and her drapes joined the mirror in a torn-up mess. Even her photos were gone, leaving empty dust frames on the wall. Like Audrey, it was a shell. 

“Jesus.” Melanie whispered as she guided Audrey to her bed. Seeing the dressing room like this was almost as devastating as Audrey’s state. “What happened in here?”

Audrey didn’t appear to hear her as she clutched at Melanie’s dress, sobbing angrily into her. “You bitch, you mean bitch, you bitch, how could you do this?” She cried. 

Melanie held onto her tightly, not saying a word. In a weird way, she knew she deserved this. Audrey was so furious, and so alien, and so upset: Melanie deserved this anger. She only sat in silence as the anger came out in waves. 

“You left! How could you leave! How could you go without saying goodbye! How could you do this!”

She wasn’t asking, she was screaming. Screaming and standing and swearing and shouting and snarling and snapping until she could do it no longer. When she was done, she leaned against the wall and sighed with exhaustion. There was silence for a moment’s stretch, another sigh, then Audrey spat in a tired, hoarse voice. 

“I fucking hate you, do you know that?”

Melanie threaded her fingers together in her lap. “I know.”

“I fucking hate you, and I love you. Do you know  _ that _ ?” 

“I do.” 

Audrey folded her arms, and glared. “I hate you.” 

Melanie stood. “Do you want me to leave?”

“Fuck you. I never want you to leave my sight ever again. Jesus, I can’t be angry at you with all this going on. We don’t have the time and I don’t want to hate you.” She scowled, pushing herself off of the wall and approaching. As she reached her, her frown deepened and her hand came up to Melanie’s shoulder. “What’s this?”

Melanie had almost forgotten about the scar the train had slashed behind her shoulder. It had started healing, but it had twisted the skin almost into a burn mark. She touched it awkwardly. “Oh. Snowpiercer’s mark, so to speak.” She murmured, and attempted a smile. “Think it’s her sick joke of reminding me who I belong to.” 

Audrey, to Melanie’s surprise, returned the smile. She rested her hand on her shoulders, careful not to dig into the wound. “Good. I think she’s right to remind you.”

“I never wanted to leave, Audrey. Please, know that.”

“You wanted to leave.” Audrey replied in a tone that wasn’t nasty or heartbroken, but firm. “I don’t believe you wanted to leave  _ me  _ but I know you were dying to get off this train. Find that world out there, the one that is waiting for us. Anything to find that place, I understand.”

Melanie blinked back tears and rested her forehead against her wife’s. “I’m sorry, Audrey.”

“It’s fine. Just say goodbye next time, alright? In all this...unsettlement, I will lose you. Don’t look at me like that because we both know one of us – hell, maybe even both of us – will not survive this. Wilford won’t let it. I will never not say goodbye to you. It’s you and me, and these shitty clothes I’m stood in. Christ, you look better than me and I’m not going out like that.”

Melanie let out a wet chuckle and nodded her agreement. “Me neither.” She kissed Audrey then, soft and slow and firm. “Always goodbye.”

Audrey smiled, returned the agreement with another kiss. It was as if they sealed their promise. “See you later, alligator.”

“In a while, crocodile.” 


End file.
